Krynos Rising
by TheChildOfTheTardis
Summary: The Doctor and Magenta Pryce answered a distress signal from the paradise planet Krynos. The Doctor finds himself locked into another battle with the deadly Krynoids. But how can the Krynoids be here when their not supposed to evolve for another 500 years? And can The Doctor and Magenta defeat the malovolent plants on a world filled with vegetation? All reviews gratefully accepted.
1. Chapter 1

Krynos Rising

CHAPTER 1

Esta Pa was running. Esta Pa was running fast. She was running from them. They were after once gain. A vine lashed out and nearly caught her. Don't let them touch otherwise you'll become like them she reminded herself. Not far now. Not far to the shuttle. Not far to what I have to call home these. Come on Esta focus she reminded herself. Think like that will slow you down then you'll get caught. She could hear them gaining on her. Don't let them catch you otherwise Jander will have died for nothing. The thought of Jander speed her up. She was nearly there. They were almost in touching distance of her. Made it. Esta opened the door of her shuttle and quickly locked it again. She slunk down feeling safe in what had become her home and base of operations. Esta Pa let out a little tear how had this happened. How had she become the last one. Would anyone be able to come and save her?

Inside the Tardis its usually comforting humming was masking the growing uneasy atmosphere. The Doctor looked at Magenta his green skinned companion with her white hair tied in a pony tail and dressed as glamourously as usual. She wasn't going to be happy oh well best tell her thought the Doctor.

"Bad news Madge we're not on Panacea." The Doctor could see the cheerful approach wasn't working. Why did things always have to be so difficult with Magenta he thought.

"Doctor dear you are trying to get me to Panacea to help me regain my memories. So please kindly explain where we are and why?" Magenta said with a tone that could kill.

The Doctor let out a long drawn-out sigh.

"Well Madge where we are I have no idea and why the Tardis detected a distress signal and have landed us right along side it to help out the distressed."

The look Magenta shoot the Doctor showed him she wasn't happy.

The Tardis landed in a green leafy valley. This was the planet Krynos a jungle world more or less devoid of animal life. At this point in its timeline Krynos is a peaceful planet but it has a dark shadow falling on its future...

Magenta stored out of the Tardis followed by the Doctor close behind.

"So Doctor where is your distress signal? I thought you said the Tardis had landed us right along side it!" said Magenta with a lot of cynicism.

"Well when I said right along side I may have actually meant within half a mile or so" said the Doctor trying to avoid his travelling companions gaze.

Esta Pa decided it was time to go out again. She needed the fresh air. It wasn't good being cooped up like this. But they'd be after her again. No she had to go out what if someone had answered the distress signal. They could be in danger. They could need her help. She needed to go out Krynos wasn't going to claim another victim not after Jander. How could the research survey have been so wrong how had it said there was no hostile life when she could barley step out for fear of being attacked...

The Doctor and Magenta had been wondering round for about half an hour no. They still hadn't found the source of the distress signal. The Doctor was still optimistic Magenta was getting bored.

Esta Pa had notice the strange new people and was following them. The skinny man in the brown suit and the green skinned woman. Esta wondered if the green skinned women was one of them but the man seemed to be calling her Magenta.

The Doctor and Magenta where getting deeper and darker into the valley on Krynos. The ground was getting harder to walk on becoming a mass of tangled vines. Suddenly the Doctor tripped on one of the vines. Magenta saw a figure flash in front of them. The Doctor looked up and saw a samurai sward coming down on his neck..


	2. Chapter 2

Krynos Rising

CHAPTER 2

The Doctor shouted at this figure trying to stop her from killing him "Wait stop dont kill me. It's OK we're nice". Magenta couldn't believe what he'd just said. The figure in front of them had sky blue skin, functionally short bright red hair, wore a largely green outfit and had a sword strapped across her back.

Esta Pa wasn't really going to kill this man and his friend but she needed to find out who they were and threatening him seemed like the quickest way to get an honest response.

"Who are you?" she asked grouchily.

The Doctor fished out his Physic Paper and Magenta fished out a business card.

Magenta flashed her card and spoke first "Magenta Pryce of Magenta Holdings PLC and "

The Doctor looked disgruntled but flashed Esta the Physic Paper "And I'm the Doctor"

"So darling if you dont mind who are you?" Magenta asked Esta.

"I'm Esta Pa. I was part of research team Alpha Seven Zero. We came to the planet Krynos to study it but now I'm the last member left." Esta wanted to cry thinking about Jander and the others but she knew she had to keep it together.

The Doctor looked worried he'd realised why the Tardis had brought them here. "Hang on did you just say the planet Krynos?" he asked sounding alarmed.

Magenta now realised what was wrong and just how much danger they were in "Doctor does she mean Krynos as in the home world of..." Magentas throat went dry as she was forming the words

The Doctor continued Magentas sentence "... the Krynoids."

Esta was confused the Doctor and Magenta both seemed terrified of these Krynoids.

Esta had to ask "What's a Krynoid?"

The Doctor was confused surely all species with space travel new of the Krynoids. Unless they had landed on Krynos before the Krynoids evolved. "Esta tell me what year is this?"

"It's 4059 by the Eland calendar. Surely you know that?" To say Esta was confused by Magenta and the Doctor was an understatement. But despite how mad they seemed they might posses a means to rescue her.

Just then a growling sound surrounded the group. It seemed to becoming from all around them emanating from the trees themselves. Panic was on all their faces as two green humanoids appeared behind them.

"RUN!" shouted the Doctor at the top of his voice. They ran as fast as they could. But the Krynoids were fast. The Krynoids long tentacles lashed out. Trying to touch the small group. Trying to convert them into Krynoids.

Esta shouted "Follow me." The Doctor and Magenta decided that would be the best action.

Esta led the Doctor and Magenta to her shuttle they'd be safe from them their. These what had the Doctor called them Krynoids. The howling of the Krynoids continued. They didn't want to be cheated of their pray. It wasn't far now to Esta's shuttle. The Doctor and Magenta could just about make it out. 50 meters to go the Krynoids were gaining on them. 30 meters to go Magenta narrowly avoided a hit from their vines. 10 meters nearly their but the Krynoids weren't giving up. They made it. Esta opened the door let the Doctor and Magenta in before squeezing in herself and locking the door. Just avoiding a strike from a Krynoid tendril. They'd made it this time but would they be so lucky next time?


	3. Chapter 3

Krynos Rising

CHAPTER 3

"It just doesn't make any sense!" the Doctor wailed.

"Your telling me!" thought Esta Pa. They were in what had once been the control area of Esta's shuttle but she'd now converted it in to a sort of living room area. Magenta had suggested that they head to the comfiest area of the shuttle and come up with a plan whilst they waited for the Krynoids to leave them so they could return to the Tardis.

The Doctor continued his rant at how little sense it all made. "Esta you said it was 4059 by the Eland calendar?"

Esta nodded. Which the Doctor took to mean he should continue. "But the Krynoids haven't evolved in 4059 by the Eland calendar. Krynos is supposed to still be uninhabited in the year 4059."

Magenta decided that this was her chance to intervene. "Doctor is it possible that the Krynoids could evolve earlier and you've just got it wrong? Again"

"No Madge their are definitely supposed to be no Krynoids on Krynos in the year 4059 by the Eland calendar!" The Doctors tone of voice was getting louder and louder as this conversation continued.

Magenta was getting annoyed with him now. "Couldn't somebody have just changed history so that the Krynoids evolve earlier? I mean back in Australia the Skith nearly changed time!"

"But Magenta that would mean someone deliberately wanted the Krynoids to exist earlier. Who would be so stupid?"

The Doctor was beginning to see parallels with an event that had occurred earlier in this incarnation.

"Well what if this was someone's experiment you know a survival of the fittest kind of thing?"

With this the Doctor slunked onto a chair as he remembered an adventure from back he was travelling with Martha. He remembered Lester Collins, Elisabeth Gail, the Time Transmitter and the Vashta Nerada. Could the situation on Krynos be connected to Lester Collins? Were they both part of someone's grand experiment in time? The Doctor realised once again that this was far from over.

Esta noticed the lull in the conversation it was her turn to speak now. "Doctor its all very well saying that the Krynoids shouldn't be here but the fact is here and now there are Krynoids. So what are we going to do about them?"

The Doctors face lit up. "Thats more like it! Yes I do have an idea of how to defeat the Krynoids."

"Well go on dear tell us what it is?" Magenta interrupted.

"I was going to Madge until you interrupted. So what are the Krynoids weaknesses?Hmm"

Esta looked blank as far as she knew they were indestructible. Magenta wasn't sure either she wasn't very keen on gardening and in the past she'd always avoided Krynoid infested planets. Giant carnivorous plants tended not to be very good for business!

The Doctor was disappointed by the blank faces he saw was he going to have to spell it out for them?

"Right Krynoids are a normally hardy creatures and very hard to kill except from two weaknesses"

Magenta was surprised that the seemingly indestructible Krynoids had any weaknesses. But then again Daleks were weak on the eye stalk and Sontarans were weakest on their probic vent.

"And those weakness are heat and high pitched sounds"

Magenta was starting to grasp the Doctors plan. "So with the Sonic Screwdriver you could destroy them?"

"Not quite Madge with the Sonic Screwdriver I can only knock them out temporally. However with the Tardis and the Sonic Screwdriver I can destroy them."

Everyone in the rooms mood seemed to brightened by this way to beat their deadly foes. Magenta however wondered could it really be so easy?

**Hope everyone is enoying the story so far. If anyone is wondering when this story occours in Magentas adventures I personally think it takes place not to long after The Age Of Ice (hence the Skith reference) but you can place it whereever you want. The events on Krynos are connected to my earlier story The House Of Shadows I shall explain how and why in my next story The Final Experiment! As always reveiws are gratefully apparciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

Krynos Rising

CHAPTER 4

One of the Krynoids tentacle lashed at the shuttle again. The hull of the shuttle was starting to weaken with the Krynoids continued attempts to break the metal barrier continued. Inside the shuttle Magenta had suggested that they have a tea break and then leave for the Tardis to defeat the Krynoids. Just as the kettle had boiled the Krynoids attack on the hull finally succeeded. They had formed a breach big enough to allow a tentacle through. Magenta was the first to spot the Krynoid tentacle. "Doctor turn around now this is important."

The Doctor who had his head buried in a cupboard looking for some biscuits replied "Madge it can't be that important not more important than biscuits."

The next thing the Doctor was aware of was a slap round the head.

"You slapped me!" The Doctor was shocked.

"And you won't turn around and see the Krynoid tentacle thats breached the ship advancing on us."

"But you slapped me!" The Doctor still couldn't believe Magenta had slapped him.

Esta was closest to the advancing Krynoid tendrils. She realised she had to do something to save herself and the others. Hang on hadn't the Doctor said earlier something about the Krynoids not liking heat. As Esta backed away she saw the freshly boiled kettle. Before the Doctor or Magenta could register what was happening Esta had grabbed the kettle. She pored the boiling water on the advancing tendril.

"THAT WAS FOR JANDER!" she shouted.

The Krynoid writhed about in agony screaming a howl from the depths of hell. The tentacle shrivelled up, turning limp, wilting like boiled cabbage and filling the kitchen area with a rancid smell that smelt of boiled cabbage. Esta caught her breath. The Doctor and Magenta were both staring at her in shock unable to believe what they'd just witnessed. Esta broke the silence first.

"You said earlier that one of the Krynoids weaknesses was heat. I figured that the freshly boiled kettle should be warm enough to have some effect on them."

"Esta Pa that was brilliant! You're brilliant." said the Doctor as he embraced her in a hug.

Later the Doctor, Magenta and Esta returned to the jungles of Krynos. Everyone was nervous due to their recent ordeal in the kitchen. The journey wasn't helped by the fact the Doctor was struggling to remember where the Tardis. All the while they advanced deeper into the jungles of Krynos they were sure something was stalking them. Waiting for the best moment to pick them off...

The Krynoids, following their failure to catch their pray in the shuttle, had regrouped. They were not going to let their pray go. Particularly as they smelt so good. One smelt of lies and betrayal, one smelt of nerves and fear and one smelt of time.

After turning a corner and coming into a clearing which didn't have the Tardis in the Doctor had to admit that they might be lost. The Krynoids saw this moment as the perfect moment to attack. Suddenly from all sides the roughly humanoid shapes of the Krynoids were advancing. Slowly at first. But as they got nearer they speed up making their horrendous howling sounds. The noise was deafening. Esta draw her sword and started to attack the advancing horde but it was too much they were overpowering her. The Doctor, Magenta Pryce and Esta Pa were trapped and their was no way out...


	5. Chapter 5

Krynos Rising

CHAPTER 5

The Krynoids were advancing closer and closer. Tentacles lashing out at the Doctor,Magenta and Esta. Suddenly one of the advancing horde of Krynoids lashed a tentacle and it touched Esta. The tentacle wrapped around Esta's wrist. From the tentacle a green mould like rash started to grow up Esta's arm. Esta screamed as the Krynoid virus continued up her blue arm turning it green. She was being turned into a Krynoid. She was scared. More scared than she'd ever been in life. They had finally caught her. This meant Jander's sacrifice had been for nothing. The Doctor and Magenta watched on in horror as they saw their new friend slowly mutating into a Krynoid. They dared not interfere both of them knowing the irreversible effects of the Krynoid virus. The infection had almost reached Esta's elbow. Esta's face was contorting in agony as the Krynoids claimed her. Suddenly the advancing infection stopped. Slowly the green rash descended back down Esta's arm. Crawling away leaving Esta's blue skin behind. The tentacle unravelled itself from Esta's wrist and now it was the Krynoid who was in agony. The Krynoid almost looked winded is that was possible for a highly aggressive sentient plant. The Krynoid was feeling all the pain and fear that moments before Esta had been feeling. The Doctor and Magenta watched this happening stunned. Had they really just seen the only person in history to survive a Krynoid infection? This diversion however hadn't stopped the advancing hordes of Krynoids surrounding them. As soon as Esta's attacker was now another one had took it's place.

Just then with the Krynoids advancing even closer the Doctor felt his Sonic Screwdriver vibrate in his pocket. "About time! Talk about cutting it close!" thought the Doctor as he wiped out his Screwdriver and activated it. Instantly the Krynoids started to writhe in agony as the blue light emanated from the Doctors tool. The Krynoids turned flaccid and limp as they collapsed in on themselves. Wilting like boiled cabbage once again. The Krynoids had just vanished leaving no trace they had ever existed. The small group watched the scene unfold in silence. Magenta was the one first to break the silence.

"Doctor three questions one what just happened to Esta? two what just happened to the Krynoids and three why did you leave it so late?" Magenta hated having to ask the Doctor for explanations but this time she was at such a loss she needed an explanation.

"Ok answering those questions in order I'm not sure yet what happened to Esta the Krynoids started to convert her but they then just stopped, I'm not entirely sure what happened to the Krynoids the Sonic Screwdriver was just supposed to knock them out but it looked like they'd been removed from time and finally it took so long because the Sonic Screwdriver was scanning for the right frequency to have an effect on the Krynoids." the Doctor said hoping that would satisfy Magenta. It didn't.

"I thought you said that the Sonic Screwdriver needed to be connected to the Tardis to destroy the Krynoids?"

"I did say that and it does. But what I meant was it needs to be amplified by something connected to the Time Vortex to have any serious effect on a Krynoid." then a thought struck the Doctor.

"You don't have anything connected to the Time Vortex on you do you Madge?"

"No" said Magenta thinking that if she did she probably would have left by now.

The Doctor persisted "Not even a Vortex Manipulator or a Time Ring?"

"Doctor I said NO!" Magenta was getting frustrated with him now.

"Then that means..." The Doctor and Magenta simultaneously turned to look at Esta. There was definitely something about Esta the only person to ever survive a Krynoid attack. The Doctor got out his Sonic Screwdriver and scanned Esta.

"What are you doing?" Esta asked him.

"Scanning you to see if you're a time sensitive being connected to the Time Vortex or if you have any Krynoid resisting powers." this explanation made things even less clear to Esta.

"Well she's not a Tharil or anything like that." The Doctor said to Magenta "She's just a regular non Time-Sensetive, non Krynoid immune Eland." A thought then struck the Doctor. "Esta pass me your sword."

Esta passed him the sword once again confused by what was going on around her. "It could be it's not that's Krynoid resistant and connected to the Time Vortex."

The Doctor waved his Sonic Screwdriver over the sword scanning it to see what it was made of. In front of everyone's eyes the sword began to shimmer. "Ahh well that explains something." said the Doctor. Noticing the blank face of his companion he decided to explain. "It's made of Chronosteen a very rare metal forged in the Time Vortex. Chronosteen can be used to shape history, protect it's user from death and record and relay events from history to it's controller."

"But Doctor this isn't history this is the present!" said Esta once again feeling very confused.

The Doctor started to explain "Well to you maybe but to me and Madge this is the past." Esta was still looking confused so the Doctor decided to give a better explanation.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey stuff."

Esta looked even more confused so the Doctor decided to leave it.

"I think the reason why you survived the Krynoid infection was because the sword was protecting you from it. And I think the Sonic Screwdriver was so successful on the Krynoids just then was because the Chronosteen removed them from time. So if we can connect this to the Tardis we might be able to remove all of the Krynoids from time and return history to it's correct course. That might even mean we can save the rest of your expedition."

Esta's face lit up at the thought of being reunited with Jander a but then a scowl crossed her face. She looked at the Doctor and Magenta and asked "What Krynoids did the Screwdriver destroy. We haven't met any Krynoids on this journey so far." said Esta looking very confused. The Doctor noticed a frown appear on Magenta's face and whispered to her "The Krynoids were removed from time and she's not a time traveller so now they've gone from history to her they never existed. Being a time traveller changes your perspective." Magenta's face showed she understood him. Sometimes the Doctor forgot she knew of time travel before she meet him at the Hotel Historia.

**I hope everyone is enjoying this story so far I'm really enjoying writing it. This was one of my favourite chapters to write partly because of all the references and the Blink quote! Please remember to review it if you enjoyed it or to leave positive criticism as I love to know what my readers think.**


	6. Chapter 6

Krynos Rising

**I realise this has been written very quickly but I had to get it out quickly. (I'm not going to be making a habit of next day updates.)**

CHAPTER 6

The promise of a way to remove these Krynoids from time had enlivened everyone into putting even more effort into the search for the Tardis. Magenta was fairly sure they were almost there when she noticed a clearing that looked like the one the Tardis had landed in at the end of this valley. She was right the Tardis was in this clearing.

"Well done Madge." said the Doctor congratulating his companion. "Now all we have to do is go inside connect the Chronosteen sword to the console then use the Sonic Screwdriver to emit a signal across the whole of Krynos removing the Krynoids from this time zone. Simple!" Once again Esta thought it was anything but simple.

The Doctor and Magenta walked into the police box and Esta followed apprehensively. Was this police box really the mighty time and space machine the Doctor and Magenta had talked about? Esta decided to through caution on the wind and go inside to find out. The Doctor and Magenta were already at the console of the Tardis chatting about the plan. They saw Esta walk in open mouthed then walk out again. Magenta raised an eyebrow the Doctor saw this and said "Leave her for a minute she'll come round they always do."

Esta had finally got her head round the confusing dimensions in the Tardis and was ready to help the Doctor and Magenta. "Esta pass me your sword again" asked the Doctor. Once again Esta passed the sword to the Doctor. The Doctor then proceeded to wire the Chronosteen sword to the console. All this technical stuff was a bit beyond Magenta so she zoned out on the Doctor because of this she was first to notice what had happened to Esta.

Esta was bend over clutching her stomach in pain her face contorting in agony. The same kind of agony as when the Krynoid had tried to convert her earlier.

"Doctor look at this" he needed to look at what was happening to Esta.

"Not now Madge this is important." The Doctor decided that whatever it was it could wait until after he'd finished.

"No really Doctor look at Esta." Magenta was once again getting infuriated by him and considered slapping him again. The deafening growling of a Krynoid filled the Tardis.

"Doctor I thought you said she was cured?" asked Magenta unnerved at the transforming Esta. By now Esta was nearly all green and very little of the blue Eland was visible.

"I thought she was but being away from the sword and the temporal energies of the Tardis must have reawaken and accelerated the Krynoid virus." said the Doctor briefly looking up from the console.

"Well hurry up with that sword because you've got a very nearly mature Krynoid in your Tardis that might be about to attack us. So no pressure but this should really be when you save the day." Magenta told herself not to get hysterical.

Esta had almost fully transformed into a Krynoid now and was starting to flex her tendrils. A tendril extended from what had once been Esta's arm and lashed out at Magenta. Magenta may have let out a scream but she'd deny it if any asked her! The Esta Krynoid tried again to attack Magenta this time it succeeded in latching on a vine. The Doctor was working fast he thought he'd managed to wire it up but was it enough? Was the connection strong enough? He activated the Chronosteen and turned on his Sonic Screwdriver. Hoping that it was enough to stop Krynos rising.

Magenta was the first one to notice the effects of the Chronosteen as the Krynoid infection descended down her arm just as it had done with Esta earlier. The vine unravelled from Magentas wrist and went back into Estas arm. The Krynoid virus reserved itself on Esta at the same speeded up pace it had took her over. It was still painful for Esta and hard for the Doctor and Magenta to watch their new friend in so much agony. Once again Esta was herself. She passed out and collapsed onto the Tardis floor.

TWO DAYS LATER ON ELAND PRIME

Esta woke up from her relatively peaceful sleep. How had she got to her bed? In fact what had she been doing for the last few days? She decided to go in to the kitchen for a cup of coffee to calm her nerves and help her wake up properly. In the kitchen was a tall man who had dark hair. Jander! She ran towards him surprised to see him. No hang on he'd been there all the time. She kept on running into his wide embrace.

"Woah babe calm down. What's wrong?" he asked.

For a moment Esta had a sensation of aggressive plants, a box that was bigger on the inside and an impossible man with a green skinned woman. For a moment she thought Jander had died. But that was all a dream. Wasn't it?

She smiled at the man she loved. "I don't know."

She thought she heard the sound of an impossibly old engine fading away. But it was all a dream as she snuggled up to Jander.

BACK IN THE TARDIS

The Doctor and Magenta watched Esta snuggle up with Jander on the Tardis monitor. Pleased to see their new friend happy and content with the man she loved. However Magenta was far from happy and content with what had happened on Krynos she wanted answers from the Doctor.

"Doctor before you sneak of to wherever you go I have a few question." Magenta demanded.

The Doctor had a resigned look on his face but stayed around to try and explain to Magenta what had just happened. "Ok fire away Madge!"

"One why were the Krynoids on Krynos before they were supposed to evolve? Two who planned it and why? Three was it really someone's experiment? Four how did Esta get hold of Chronosteen? Five are all the Krynoids really gone from this time zone? and Six is Esta safe now?"

The Doctor was a bit taken a back by the final question and he didn't really no the answer to the rest of them.

"Magenta this is far from over. At some point I have a meeting with a time traveller and find out those answers. But in the mean time how about we try and get you to Panacea?"

The Doctor pulled a leaver and they flow of into the Time Vortex

**This is the end of Krynos Rising I hope everyone enjoyed reading about the Krynoids, Esta Pa, The Doctor and Magenta Pryce. As always reviews are gratefully appreciated. Magenta's questions (and Martha's questions from my previous story) shall be answered in my next story The Final Experiment. The Final Experiment is and 11th Doctor and River story and the conclusion to my Multi-Doctor/Multi-Companion trilogy. Once again I hope you enjoyed Krynos Rising (I certainly enjoyed writing it) and I hope you'll read The Final Experiment.**


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